We have a Custom Form attached to our project templates that I would like to update with new (required) fields and possibly remove fields we no longer need. I'm trying to figure out if I should just create a new custom form and sunset the old or ...

[KathyPal]

(preferably) update my existing custom form. Does anyone know if and how existing projects will be affected if I just update the form we currently use? My concern with creating a new form is that our PMs mostly copy projects as opposed to opening new ones from a template and if that's the case the new required information wouldn't be captured. I appreciate any guidance! Thanks

[RyanKirk]

From past experience:

• Removing fields will remove that data.
  • We've frequently just captured the business case and uploaded that .PDF as a file to the project just to capture that old data. Generally this has been a non-issue for most of our users. Less fields reduces scrolling fatigue :)

• Creating a new form versus adding new fields to the existing custom form
  • For us, it's best to just have the one version of the form. At some point you'll end up with the designer nightmare name: FileName_Final_Final_Complete_Finalv3 T_T. So we would add those fields in.
  • They will automatically show up on those current projects. This means that the next time someone wants to edit part of the custom form they will need to fill in those new required fields to save their data.

[Doug_Den_Hoed__AtAppStore]

Hi Kathleen,

Further to Ryan's advice, and as I happened to have the following note to self in my clipboard, note also that if adding new parameters (dropdowns, in my case) to an existing custom form....

"In order to update these new dropdowns, I had to change Setup > Project Preferences > After a project is marked Complete or Dead, or it is Pending Approval, people can still.. > Add and edit tasks (while project is Pending Approval, tasks cannot be added) = True, since otherwise, I could not update the custom data on tasks whose project was dead/closed."

I'm now bulk updating the new dropdowns based upon the old (eventually to-be-dropped) dropdown, but in hindsight, am regretting not using our Excel Updater solution, which would have been considerably faster.

Regards,

Doug

[CalvinFold]

I keep updating the same custom form and moving deprecated fields to the bottom in a locked SYSADMIN section. This may get clunky over time, and does have some associated confusion with users (and "scroll fatigue").

[RandyRoberts]

I also have an Admin section at the bottom of each which contains dperecated fields, calc fields for admin use and stuff like that. I use display logic to hide that section from all non-admins to alleviate scroll fatigue.

[CalvinFold]

Yeah, unfortunately we have deprecated fields and calculated fields that non-admins want/need to see or report on. So while I originally tried to hide these, I don't anymore. As time goes on I may have to have two levels of "admin" sections (one I can hide, one I cannot).

[RandyRoberts]

Maybe a deprecated fields section? I have one that's separate from the Admin section.

Maybe you could even have a radio button that says "Show deprecated fields" to show that section.